Both pro- and anti-Trump groups were aggressors at various times during rowdy confrontations that broke out Saturday at the Minnesota state Capitol and featured the arrest of the son of former Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine, according to a witness who was there recording the event on video.

Clad head to toe in black, Linwood Kaine, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine’s youngest son, was forcibly arrested by St. Paul police pursuing a group of black-clad people suspected of throwing a smoke bomb into a crowd of President Donald Trump supporters inside the Capitol rotunda Saturday afternoon.

Neither Kaine nor the four others arrested with him has been charged, and police haven’t said who specifically they believe threw the smoke bomb — an act caught on video.

Daniel Springer, a college student from Scandia, said he went to the “March 4 Trump” rally on a whim, as much to possibly capture violence on video as for any political motive.

“It’s an adrenaline rush, I admit,” said Springer, who said that at various times during the event members of both the larger pro-Trump group and those opposing Trump “initiated violence.”

The most violent skirmishes came after Kaine was arrested and included fistfights, kicking, pepper spray being shot into a Trump supporter’s face at close range, and a stun gun being used by an anti-Trump demonstrator — all acts Springer recorded on video and posted to YouTube.

The lobbing of the smoke bomb happened early, he said, and was unprovoked. “It wasn’t even during the tense part of things,” Springer said. “It was completely unnecessary, in my opinion.”

Springer calls himself “left wing” but said he does not support the tactics of those subscribing to the left-wing “antifa” movement — whose flags he saw among the two dozen or so anti-Trump protesters. He said he believed the black-clad group from which the smoke bomb was lobbed was affiliated with self-identified antifa disrupters.

‘ANTIFA’ ELEMENTS

Short for anti-facism, the antifa movement, which predates World War II, has seen a resurgence since Trump was elected on a wave of support that included the “alt right,” which includes elements of white supremacists and other groups espousing racist beliefs. At events from Berkeley to St. Paul, protesters associating with antifa flag wavers have been seen wearing garb — face masks and goggles to shield themselves from chemical irritants — and using tactics similar to those used by anarchists and other radical groups that have brought violence to public demonstrations for years.

It’s unclear if Linwood Kaine, who goes by Woody, associates with antifa. The youngest son of Hillary Clinton’s running mate appears to keep a low public profile, as he did during Clinton’s failed presidential bid against Trump.

Woody Kaine attended Carleton College and lives in Minneapolis’ Powderhorn Park neighborhood. The Pioneer Press has been unable to reach him for comment. Similarly, those arrested with him as they allegedly fled police could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Tim Kaine, who represents Virginia, where he previously served as governor, was born in St. Paul. On Tuesday night, when the Pioneer Press first reported the story, he released a statement: “We love that our three children have their own views and concerns about current political issues,” he said. “They fully understand the responsibility to express those concerns peacefully.”

Springer’s videos are from the vantage point of the anti-Trump forces. He said he chanted with the group “to blend in, because I figured if I followed them I would get better video. I could tell some of them were there to cause trouble. I’ve seen enough videos on YouTube. I knew it was going to turn violent.”

While the weapons he saw — pepper spray, the taser and the smoke bomb — all appeared to come from anti-Trump demonstrators, he said there were times when pro-Trump groups advanced toward their opponents, with some members pushing and shoving while others grabbed and threw punches.

As far as the smoke bomb that might be tied to Woody Kaine’s group, Springer’s footage appears to point to a person wearing large black-rimmed ski goggles.

The person can be seen here lobbing the device, on the left of the screen, about 8 seconds into the video:

The same person appears to be in the group of four who later flee the Capitol as officers follow them out, shown here:

When he was arrested, Woody Kaine was wearing a black windbreaker, “multiple pieces of black clothing,” a balaclava and a stocking cap, said St. Paul police spokesman Steve Linders. He was not wearing goggles. Linders said he didn’t have information about whether goggles were found on or near any of the people arrested. It’s unclear if police found goggles on any of the suspects.

“I think the videos I took can help identify the person,” Springer said.

Dave Orrick reports on state government and politics from the Pioneer Press' Capitol Bureau. When the occasion demands, he's been known to cover topics ranging from hunting to golf. He lives in St. Paul with his wife and son.

Mara Gottfried has been a Pioneer Press reporter since 2001, mostly covering public safety. Gottfried lived in St. Paul as a young child and returned to the Twin Cities after graduating from the University of Maryland. You can reach her at 651-228-5262.

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